Gifts for boys -- need ideas

[Sahamamama]

I have three girls, but need ideas for boys' gifts -- ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (all rural kids). Moms of boys, please help me. I am clueless. The only parameters are: we don't know clothing sizes & we can't give video games.

[Rachel]

Legos for the older 3. Hotwheels cars and tracks for the 4-8 year olds.

 

Cars, trucks, tractors, trains for the younger two.

 

Games like Connect 4, Battleship. They would probably all love Nerf guns if you are allowed to give those.

[desertflower]

For the 6yo: snap circuits, robot turtle board game, no stress chess, toy gun, sword and shield, legos

.

For the 4 yo: magna tiles, legos

For the 2 yo: magna tiles, dr. Seuss books

 

Hth.

[Arctic Bunny]

Football, archery target (even for shooting bb's into), with those ages you could pick any clothing size between 4 and 12 and be good, lol.

[Slache]

Fiddle Sticks

 

Lyra Pencils

 

The Berenstain Bears Big Book of Science and Nature

 

Snap Circuits (original, jr, light, advanced)

 

Magic Rocks

 

Geodes

 

Cylestial binoculars

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OSHG6E/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_10?colid=1WF4YJFQ9GSWA&coliid=I36ZZ8O0E43Y32

 

Eta: Nerf swords.

[Tsuga]

Does it have to be something that it is impossible for girls to use?

 

Edited for grammar as previous post was made on a phone.

What about Lego, a marble maze, a marble track, train sets, books (my stepson likes to read but maybe that's too girly?), nerf guns, board games like battleship, Star Wars Monopoly (full disclosure... That was my Christmas present when I was a 17 year old girl but I'm kind of a freak and my nephews love playing with it and they are small town boys who are not to my lnowledge transsexual or anything), connect four (this also was a present for a girl but the boys were playing it tonight), Star Wars chess, regular chess, soccer goal and soccer ball, a pogo stick (also bought for a girl but my stepson holds the family record), stilts (ditto... in fairness to my daughters he has a three year lead and they are quickly gaining on him), a scooter, a two-foot scooter, be sure to include helmets, a football, a frisbee, a remote control helicopter, a dearth Vader mask that does the ventilator breathing (this was insanely popular at one boy's party), how to draw superheroes books, a build your own castle set, Lincoln Logs, dinosaurs (plastic), sit-n-spin (blue for boys?), a keyboard, a harmonica, a kids camera, walkin-talkies (my daughter wanted them but for reasons that I don't fully get and which concern me regarding how boys may be using these they were in the "boys" section at target... Perhaps to be used for communicating good bushes to pee in while standing up?), sunglasses, team baseball caps, beanbag tic tac toe, Blokus board game, slip-n-slide for summer, modeling clay? A nerf basketball hoop? A stomp-rocket?

I don't know that these are boy-only as most of the girls we know have these and more but they are certainly popular among the boys we know.

[kiwik]

Walkie talkies are fun on a farm or other rural area. The cometron $29 starwatching binoculars were second choice on a website i was looking on and would work well out of the city. Lego, books, meccano, torches.

[Rachel]

A few more ideas, Walkie Talkies and remote control cars.

 

Are these family members? A tool set with smaller sized tools was very popular with my son when he was about 6. We also bought him some boards and nails so he could make things.

 

My oldest would love an archery set too. That's something I wouldn't buy unless I knew the family was ok with it though.

[Miss Marple]

Stick-Lets- VERY COOL!   http://odditymall.com/stick-lets-build-forts

Nerf stuff - anything, really, anything Nerf

Bow and Arrow for the olders - along with a hay bale to shoot into

Legos - always loved

soccer ball and goals

lawn bowling set

rip sticks (if they have a nice concrete area)

pogo sticks for the olders

hockey set (if they have a concrete area)

microscope - my boys were always finding stuff outside to look at under the microscope

Backyard Ballistics - with a gift card to Lowes for necessary supplies (for the oldest 2)

 

 

 

 

[Rush]

A few sets of wooden marble run haba for everyone.

Edited November 20, 2015 by rushhush08

[Arcadia]

Not sure what is your budget. DS9 has Keva Contraptions on his wish list.

http://www.amazon.com/MindWare-44156W-KEVA-Contraptions/dp/B002V7YBNC

 

He also asked for a replacement binoculars so we are getting something from the Celestron Skymaster series, model depending on Black Friday sale.

[Tsuga]

A few sets of wooden marble run haba for everyone.

 

I do not recommend wooden marble runs with a toddler around. They are far too easy to knock over and even small nudges can cause the marble run to not work. They are cool in theory and extremely charming and I actually have a wooden marble run but I can't recommend it. We later got a plastic marble maze and it is far sturdier.

[mom2scouts]

A group of rural boys would probably like something from the JM Cremps catalog. My youngest son runs off with it every time it shows up in the mail.

[HeWillSoar]

All of my boys have loved KNex.

[EKT]

I don't have boys, but I buy gifts for boy nephews all the time. The travel game IQ Twist and the Hexbug Spider have been very well-received. 

 

ETA: lol-ing at my use of "boy nephews." I'm deeeefinitely ready for the weekend, friends! 

Edited November 20, 2015 by EKT

[tammyw]

My son, who is 9.5, loves board games (always has). Quixo, Quoridor, Labyrinth, Yahtzee, so many really.

 

Snap Circuits have been a hit.

 

For the youngers, Magna-tiles....HUGE hit. The other small wood blocks too, forget the name at the moment. Building stuff is always good.

[Rush]

I do not recommend wooden marble runs with a toddler around. They are far too easy to knock over and even small nudges can cause the marble run to not work. They are cool in theory and extremely charming and I actually have a wooden marble run but I can't recommend it. We later got a plastic marble maze and it is far sturdier.

Well, that's why I wrote to buy a few sets of Haba :) They have sets for all ages, even for toddlers and which one you could add to a standard set too. Please see the pictures below.

Regarding that the plastic one is better - I do not agree either. Everyones taste is different too. Personally I do no like plastic toys. Wooden are much preferred. Plus we do not have any problem with stability and there are much more variations to build a maze than in a plastic version. Anyway if you still wish to make your structure sturdier, you could just purchase extra connectors(see again the picture for the reference) to lock them and they won't fall apart. But as I said we do not have any problems at all. Anyway before go to bed we are always collecting them all in a storage box and the next time we build something else, completely new.

We have been having this toy for the last two years and so far it was the best toy ever! We spend hours with this toy and kids are asking for an extra set for every holiday so far. Great toy!

Edited November 21, 2015 by rushhush08

[Rush]

Building stuff is always good.

Agreed!

Citiblocs are great choice too.

[Sahamamama]

Thanks for the great ideas!

[Tsuga]

Well, that's why I wrote to buy a few sets of Haba :) They have sets for all ages, even for toddlers and which one you could add to a standard set too. Please see the pictures below.

Regarding that the plastic one is better - I do not agree either. Everyones taste is different too. Personally I do no like plastic toys. Wooden are much preferred. Plus we do not have any problem with stability and there are much more variations to build a maze than in a plastic version. Anyway if you still wish to make your structure sturdier, you could just purchase extra connectors(see again the picture for the reference) to lock them and they won't fall apart. But as I said we do not have any problems at all. Anyway before go to bed we are always collecting them all in a storage box and the next time we build something else, completely new.

We have been having this toy for the last two years and so far it was the best toy ever! We spend hours with this toy and kids are asking for an extra set for every holiday so far. Great toy!

That's great for you. I also prefer wooden toys.

 

My girls get honorary penises for being so active that they will knock over anything that is not securely attached. If you kick the wooden one hard, it falls apart, but if you run over or kick a plastic one, most components stay together.

If the toddle is a quiet sort not hell bent on razing the house to the ground, great! However if mom seems to feel she has "boys' boys" then as the mom of girls, I can't see how someone could build something and have it standing 10 minutes later.

 

I'm not sure why you say there are more options with wood.

 

It's up to OP. The point is keep in mind that 2 yr olds are destroyers of worlds so buy something the bigs can build that holds up. Lincoln logs and tinker toys are great but if you so much as get up to pee toddlers can ruin your fun.

 

Just a thought from the world of many cousins and builders.

[Dmmetler]

Zulilly.com has/had Citiblocks recently. I think they had a marble run set as well.

[Amy M]

Here are some things my boys like:

Legos (for olders; duplos for youngers; check out Lego Education for some really neat sets)

Keva structures 200 planks

Wedgits (for youngers; if you get it for olders, get the book to show different patterns to build, and get at least two started sets)

Thomas the Train wooden train track sets: mine play with this all the time

Lincoln Logs

stuff from JM Cremps--depending on what they like--nature stuff, toy guns, archery, books on how to build backyard forts, etc.

classic boy books matchbox toy cars

Would they like a baseball and bat?

I would love to get Magna Tiles for my boys. I've seen them, but not gotten them.

 

My two olders, 8 and 6, are enjoying beginning model kits, where you put together a car, etc. I found several on sale at Hobby Lobby.

 

My younger boy (3) loves puzzles. The olders weren't crazy about puzzles, but he loves them. If one of them loves puzzles, you could try that. Maybe Geopuzzles? Even my olders will enjoy Geopuzzles on occasion.

 

We have a (wooden) marble run, but my boys hardly play with it. I saw a really neat marble run that might be good for the 8 and 10 year olds at a neat game store in Woodfield Mall...trying to remember the name of the store...ah, it's called Marbles the Brain Store. anyway they had an awesome marble run that involved logic to build it (very sturdy plastic pieces), not able to be knocked down like the keva contraptions. Downer is that it was around $80. I coveted that one, but decided to wait until my boys were older, and I had more money, haha. Same store had Magna Tiles.

 

My boys (8 and 6) love Ticket to Ride USA board game and Settlers of Catan board game. After that they like Sequence.

 

Have fun! I'm used to boys now, and don't really know what are good 'girl' presents! Outside of pretty picture books and purses. :)

[Rush]

That's great for you. I also prefer wooden toys.

 

My girls get honorary penises for being so active that they will knock over anything that is not securely attached. If you kick the wooden one hard, it falls apart, but if you run over or kick a plastic one, most components stay together.

If the toddle is a quiet sort not hell bent on razing the house to the ground, great! However if mom seems to feel she has "boys' boys" then as the mom of girls, I can't see how someone could build something and have it standing 10 minutes later.

 

I'm not sure why you say there are more options with wood.

 

It's up to OP. The point is keep in mind that 2 yr olds are destroyers of worlds so buy something the bigs can build that holds up. Lincoln logs and tinker toys are great but if you so much as get up to pee toddlers can ruin your fun.

 

Just a thought from the world of many cousins and builders.

hmm. I guess everyone is different and life style too)

Mine are very active boys and attending so many different sport activities + play outside, so when they are at home they like to play quiet games and read the books. And when they are building you cant see them and cant hear. Definitely no one running around, even our shih tzu, who is on the naughty side, usually very quiet at this time)

About falling apart i wrote earlier too. There are special connectors, which are holding the construction very well together. We have a few of them, but my kids are not using them often.

And of course, the wooden one has more options, 'cause you could build any extraordinary contractions trough a whole living room, for example, but the plastic one is usually more primitive one, with a few different options and quiet small. I don't know, maybe i am not aware of them, but when we were choosing we did not see anything that was really special. I am not taking about the advance runs, like Fischertechnik, etc. Those are for more mature kids, of course, and would be dangerous to have it with a toddler.

With ours I do not see any problem or it could be built somewhere up, where toddler can not reach it, on the table? when our youngest was a baby, the oldest played with all the stuff like lego, board games, puzzles at the table and we had no problems too.

so, well, there could be lots of different solutions...I am not sure why you are trying to persuade me with something and I am trying to prove it otherwise. lol

can only says that it's shame it did not work for you, but for us this toy is working great!)

Edited December 1, 2015 by rushhush08

[deenamathew]

Buying gifts for a two year old boy is very rewarding in terms of joy from giving. Two year olds have not reached the age yet where they are counting down the days for any special days. for two years old toy bowling car, toy cars etc

 

for fours years old thomas the tank engine is very popular among 4 year old boys. The many train and vehicle characters from the Island of Sodor capture the interest of preschool boys. Or any science discovery toys.

 

Baseball gifts ideas would be good for 6 years old.I have observed some good present options that the boys seem to enjoy.